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Paint Happy
Reviewer: Alyice Edrich
Art Book
Author
Cristina Acosta
Review
When I first saw Cristina Acosta’s book, Paint Happy, sitting on the bookshelf in a used bookstore, I was instantly drawn to the vibrant colors and simplicity of the cover art. What does Paint Happy! mean? I wondered. Slowly I walked over to the shelf and picked up the only copy available and as I scanned the images, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of child-like wonder. I was drawn to the bright colors and the carefree brush strokes. I wanted to know more.
As I began reading chapter two, Let’s Play, I knew that I had to buy this book. I had to buy it because I wanted to learn what it meant to “play with my art” and I wanted to remember what it felt like to “have fun creating for the sake of creating.” The first two weeks, after bringing the book home, however, it sat on my coffee table untouched. I found myself starring at the cover art and title thinking, “Can I really let loose enough to create without fear or constraints or expectations?”
Then one day I realized that the only way I was going to find out was to read the book. So I set aside an entire weekend and I read the book. I highlighted comments that struck a chord, key instruction points, and composition ratios. Then I went back and observed the art, asking myself, “Why did it work, what makes that piece stand out, and why am I drawn to that image?”
Next thing I knew, I was playing with my art!
“Somewhere along the way, I came to believe that to become a good artist, I needed to acquire an ever increasing knowledge of methods and techniques… Surprisingly I discovered “the more I opened my mind to painting with the attitude of a child—albeit a very experienced child—the more my work evolved.”
There are a total of 3 sections in Paint Happy! with 8 chapters and 14 demonstrations within those sections. Each chapter builds upon the previous chapter so that you continue to learn and grow as an artist with each new page you read. In eight chapters, you learn various techniques designed to help you let go of your perfectionist state of mind so that you can begin to find a place where art simply comes alive. You also discover the importance of having ratios in your composition. Whether it’s a ratio of cool to warm colors, bright- to light-valued colors, foreground to background, textures, patterns, objects, shapes, lines, curves, or overlapping, you discover why different ratios create differently feelings or moods and why they can completely transform your work for the better—and in some cases, for the worst.
While the book contained a lot of valuable information, what I really liked were the demonstration areas as they showed you how to build upon an idea, taking you from step one all the way through to the finished product. These are definitely exercises I plan to do more of in the coming year.
If you need more play time with your art, I encourage you to check out the book—even if your style vastly differs from that of the author. You won’t be disappointed!
Here’s a quick breakdown of the book to wet your appetite…
Sections:
- Getting Started
- Let’s Paint!
- Paint Your Home Happy
Chapters:
- Materials
- Let’s Play
- Color Mixing
- Variation and Repetition
- Rhythm and Movement
- Shapes and Sizes
- Color and Value Balance
- Space
Order Paint Happy! today!
Disclosure: The reviewer purchased a copy of the book to review.
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